High Pressure Turns Coal into Diamonds
by What'dIMiss
Summary: Draco thought Potter had it all: friends, fame,luck, no pressure to be someone else. Draco hated him for it. So when he finds him in tears, he uncovers things he'd never expected to be true. And his view of Harry Potter changes dramatically..One-shot.HarryxDraco by the end,rated T b/c. My first real HP fic ever, see authors note. Cover coming soon. Draco POV.


**A/N: Hello, whoever is currently reading this!**

 **So this is both exciting and kind of scary for me. This is my first real HP fic that's 100% HP. No crossover business here.**

 **I hope this proves readable. My characterization is probably awful. This takes place during their fifth year(yeah, pretty sure that's right).**

It was nighttime at Hogwarts. Draco Malfoy heard crying as he walked towards the Slytherin common room, after a day of searching for that blasted secret club.

He looked around the dimly lit hallway until he found someone curled up against the wall, under a torch. He couldn't see who it was, only they were somewhat tall, had short black hair, and were in Gryffindor, based on their robes. Their head was down, wand in hand.

 _Gryffindors. They're always so...aggravating. Always gallivanting around like they rule the world, especially Potter…._

Ah, Harry Potter. Dumbledore's red-and-golden boy. Supposed savior of wizard kind. The Boy Who Lived. The bane of Draco's existence.

Potter was so full of arrogance, he'd had the nerve to insult Draco and refuse his offer of friendship when they were first-years. Ha! Now he'd spent all his time with a Mudblood and a blood traitor, and had to put up with their lies about what it means to be a wizard, and Draco hated them for it. Harry didn't deserve that. He deserved more, so much more…

What? No! That can't be right. Moving along…

Potter was the famous one, who always got what he wanted without ever having to work for it, ever. He had it easy, all because of his stupid scar from the Dark Lord he got when he was a freaking INFANT. Just how lucky can you get? And to top it off, he's friends with the smartest witch in the school practically(filthy Mudblood Granger…) so he can get answers to anything whenever he wants.

He didn't have the stresses that came with parental and peer pressure to be someone you're not. He could just be himself and not worry at all. He'd always be Harry Potter, the boy with all the luck and love in the world….

Reality crept back into Draco's eyes as he stopped in front of the sad Gryffindor. He sneered. "Stop your bawling, it makes me want to vomit."

The kid looked up. He wasn't just a random Gryffindor kid. He was… Potter.

Draco's and Harry's eyes widened as they met. Harry's were red from crying. He scrambled up, brushed himself down, tried to fix his now messy hair, and picked up his glasses. He put them on the edge of his nose, looked briefly at Draco, and curtly turned and started to hurry away.

"Wait-Potter! Get back here!" Draco called out as he ran after his sworn enemy, catching up and grabbing his shoulder. He turned Harry around and tried to look him in the eye. Harry wouldn't meet his gaze. He looked at the floor, or maybe his wand, still clutched in his hand.

Draco took his hand away from Harry's shoulder and backed up a little. "Why were you crying, Potter? Fail again to get that Ravenclaw girl to notice you?" He smirked.

Still nothing.

"Potter, you're not one to not talk. You have one of the biggest mouths in this school. Spit it out already!" Draco was starting to get angry, and a little confused.

Harry lifted his gaze to meet Draco's. Draco could see all the stress lines, the tear stains, all of it. "None of your concern, Malfoy." He muttered as he dropped his eyes down again.

"None of my concern? No, no, it IS my concern, Potter. You think I'm going to stand by and watch you weep to death? You'd better not be. I could make you miserable."

"I already am."

"What do you mean? How can you be miserable? You have everything."

"No, I don't. I have nothing. Everything, it's all pointless." Again, lifted his gaze. "You, Draco, have everything."

"I-I do?" He asked. "How?"

"You have two parents, who love you. You have supportive friends who respect you for who you are, not what the world says you are." Pause. "You don't have the pressure of being famous, living to everyone else's expectations, and they don't expect YOU to save the whole world...You don't know what that's like." Another pause. "And all the nightmares he gives me….it's unbearable." Harry felt for his scar.

Draco was speechless. He'd always seen Harry as this picture of being cool-under-pressure, staying calm when faced with extreme danger. He'd envied him for it. But now, he saw him for what he was: a boy who was thrust into the spotlight too quicky, who'd never wanted any of this. Harry just wanted to be himself, for himself.

Just like Draco did.

Draco stepped toward Harry. "I do get it, Harry." He reached and grasped his hand.

Harry, looking surprised for Draco to be calling him by his first name and taking his hand, looked back up. Their eyes met again, this time for real. Gray meeting green. No faltering, no break. "Draco…" He started.

Draco lightly kissed Harry on the lips. He could almost feel the stress melting away from Harry's face. He then whispered, "I feel your pain. I really do. Not being who one really is, putting up a front...and for what? Other's approval? What do they have that we don't? Nothing, that's what. We, Potter, have _everything_."

He pulled away, but then Harry pulled him back in, kissing him deeply.

Oh, for Draco to describe it. Like fireworks, mixed with the taste of pumpkin juice, chocolate, and something...sweet. Nothing recognizable, but whatever it was was wonderful. Unlike anything Draco had experienced. He was disappointed it ended so soon.

When it did end, they each went in their separate directions. Harry was much brighter in his expression than before, and couldn't stop smiling. He eventually went back to the Gryffindor common room.

Draco, on the other hand, went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. He seemed a little...redder than his pale skin could handle, and a smile had spread on his normally sour face. His hair had been messed up, and he brushed it back into position with his fingers. He readjusted his cloak and his uniform. His green-and-silver tie had somehow been undone slightly. He re-tightened it a little bit.

"That just happened." Draco thought out loud, not believing it. He then realized something, and reacted with fear: "Oh my god, what will my father say?!"

 **Any review/constructional criticism is appreciated. Thanks for reading!:)**


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